Learn 'Revenue Per Click' (RPC) with Charlie

The frost of late December blanketed the village, turning it into a sparkling wonderland of snow and warm glowing lights. Jack and Charlie sat by the fireplace in their cosy cabin, sipping hot cocoa and brainstorming the perfect New Year’s Eve party.

“We need to make this the best celebration the village has ever seen,” Jack declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Everyone should remember it for years!”

Charlie grinned, always ready to take on a challenge. “I’m all in! But let’s make sure it’s not just fun—it should also be... well... worth the effort.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Charlie, not everything is about efficiency. It’s New Year’s!”

“Exactly why we should think smart,” Charlie countered. “Let’s plan this like a campaign—one where we maximize not just the turnout but also the experience we deliver to our guests. And hey, let’s not end up broke by January 1st!”

The planning began. Jack took charge of spreading the word. He printed beautiful flyers with shimmering gold and silver lettering and pinned them up all over the village. He posted announcements on social media, making sure everyone knew about the event.

“Traffic is everything,” Jack explained to Charlie. “If people don’t know, they won’t show.”

Charlie nodded, but his focus was elsewhere. “While you bring them in, I’ll make sure we make this worth their while—and ours. Let’s offer different experiences.”

Over the next few days, Charlie worked on the details. He decided the party would have multiple ticket options:

• A basic entry pass for ?50.
• A premium pass for ?100, which included a complimentary drink and dessert.

But that wasn’t all. Charlie added thoughtful touches to make the evening unforgettable. Guests could rent cosy blankets for ?20 to keep warm on the outdoor patio, where fireworks would light up the sky. Snow globe souvenirs would be available for ?30, and there’d be a refill station offering hot cocoa for just ?10 a cup.

Jack, meanwhile, continued his tireless efforts to invite as many people as possible. By Thursday, RSVPs started pouring in, and by Friday, they had a full list of attendees.

As Saturday night arrived, the cabin was transformed into a glittering venue. Candles flickered on tables, music filled the air, and the smell of warm cinnamon rolls wafted from the kitchen. Guests began arriving, their faces alight with excitement. Jack greeted everyone warmly, thrilled to see such a great turnout.

Charlie, meanwhile, moved through the crowd with a quiet smile, watching guests opt for premium passes and happily purchase the thoughtful extras he’d planned.

By midnight, the party was in full swing. Laughter echoed through the cabin as fireworks painted the sky in brilliant colours. As the clock struck twelve, everyone raised their glasses in a toast, cheering the arrival of a new year.

When the last guest departed, Jack and Charlie sat back by the fire, tired but happy. Jack pulled out his notebook to tally the numbers.

“Alright, let’s see how we did,” Jack began. “We had a massive turnout. Our invitations worked wonders!”

“But,” Charlie interjected, “the real story lies here.” He pointed to the numbers next to each ticket type and additional purchase. “Jack, you focused on traffic—getting as many people as possible. That’s like CPC, Cost Per Click, in digital marketing. It measures how much we’re paying to attract a single click—or in this case, a single attendee.”

Jack nodded slowly. “And you focused on… what exactly?”

“RPC,” Charlie said, grinning. “Revenue Per Click. While you brought them in, I worked on ensuring each guest contributed to the event’s success. Look, the premium tickets, blankets, souvenirs, and cocoa refills—those boosted our revenue significantly.”

Jack flipped through the numbers again. “So CPC is like... what I spent on flyers and promotions to get people here, right? And RPC is the return we got from each attendee?”

“Exactly!” Charlie said. “In digital marketing, CPC tells you how efficient your ads are in bringing traffic, but RPC tells you how much value you’re getting from that traffic. Both are crucial. If your CPC is too high, you’re wasting money. If your RPC is too low, you’re not making enough from your traffic.”

Jack stared at the numbers, his respect for Charlie’s strategy growing. “So next time, we balance the two—invite strategically but also optimize the experience so that it pays off.”

Charlie raised his mug of cocoa. “To CPC and RPC—a winning combination!”

Jack laughed, clinking his mug against Charlie’s. “And to a Happy New Year!”

As the fire crackled and the snow fell softly outside, the two friends sat in comfortable silence, already imagining their next big project together.